Evelyn is getting very curious about learning how to read.  She is only 3 1/2, so we’re starting with the basics right now. I was going to buy her some letter flashcards, but they seemed a bit overpriced for what they were.  Plus, I prefer to spend time with my kids making something.  I think [...]

As I’ve written about many times before, my little family and I strive to live a pretty simple life.  Our home is a two-bedroom apartment in the middle of downtown Chicago, so space demands that we don’t go overboard with stuff.  And, because our budget is rather rigid, reality dictates that we can’t afford to [...]

Growing up, I never once had pot pie for dinner.  I seem to remember my mom recalling horror stories of her childhood: forced to sit at the dining table for hours until the pot pie she absolutely detested was eaten.  She hated it as a child, and so she never served it to her children. [...]

Today in protest of his regular afternoon nap Mack decided to tear apart one of his absolute favorite books.  After listening to him chat and whine and sing and yell for nearly an hour, I went up to his room and saw the destruction.  Shreds of paper littered the floor, and little Mack couldn’t have [...]

After a surprisingly expensive fall and the flurry of the holidays and a much-needed vacation at the end 2011, we are reigning in the spending to start this year.  Ever since my husband left the corporate world to start his own businesses I’ve become a pro at creatively living the frugal life, and I’m always [...]

In many ways, October was a wonderful month.  My sister Colleen got married, the weather was fabulous and the kids were so happy to celebrate Halloween. We really enjoyed all the special moments the month had to offer. But, as far as our budget goes, October was a real roller coaster.  Some unexpected expenses hit [...]

My 18 month old son is officially no longer a baby. He had his first haircut the other day. Sniff, sniff. Prior to the cut, he had long, wispy, baby curls circling the base of his head. In the sun, his hair – so blond its practically white – glowed like a holy halo. The [...]

My youngest sister Colleen is getting married in a couple months.  She has been dating Rob for several years, so we are all very happy to officially welcome him to our family.  They make a great couple! My grandma and aunts hosted a lovely wedding shower in Colleen’s honor yesterday.  Because she is my sister [...]

I can’t believe the 4th of July came and went.  In my mind, this holiday marks the halfway point of summer, but Chicago weather has been quite temperamental the last couple months so it feels like summer just began. Chris has been working a lot lately, and the kids and I were going a little [...]

If you’ve got some extra time while you wait in line to check-out at the grocery store, flip through this month’s issue of Redbook Magazine.  Some of my tips and tricks for living on a budget are featured on page 138.  Living in a big city, we have to make every dollar count, and so [...]